Hopulist Issue 7

Singapore is a fascinating place – from its colonial past
to its financial superpower present – but when Hopulist
visited town there was only one thing on our mind. And
we were not found wanting on the craft beer front.
By David Guest
It’s hard to imagine just how Sir Stamford Raffles might
have felt when he first arrived in what is now Singapore all
the way back in 1819. A new, alien land filled with strange
tropical wonders and near boundless opportunities – he
must have been excited and apprehensive in equal measure.
As I stepped off the plane into the cool, sharp blast of air
conditioning at Singapore’s Changi airport, I was filled with
a mixture of at least some of the emotions I imagine Raffles
felt when he did the same (albeit from a boat and 200 years
earlier). When he arrived, Sir Stamford quickly identified
the island as an ideal port location for Britain in South East
Asia and founded Singapore in February of that year, after
brokering a deal with local people. Later in 1824, after further
negotiation, Singapore actually became a British possession
until as late as the 1960s when it gained independence.
My motives for being here, however, are peaceful. The
only trade deal I am looking to broker is how I can enjoy the
best of one of Asia’s most vibrant craft beer destinations at a
reasonable price. And it didn’t take long for me to realise that
it would be a simple, engaging and rewarding process.